London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

A leading rail union is considering legal action in a bid to save 1,400 jobs which are being axed by manufacturing giant Bombardier after it failed to win a £1.4 billion contract to build new carriages.

Nine Japanese women have been added to the elite field for next month's Virgin London Marathon following the earthquake and tsunami which threatened to end their hopes of competing at the World Championships this August.